MEMORISE:
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7

READ: 1 Peter 4:1-10

1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

MESSAGE
Constrating the world of godliness with that of ungodliness, the Holy Spirit sent us this command, saying in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18:
“ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Because our God is a jealous God, He has always desired those who are called to be His special people to stand out as distinct from the ungodly. Enoch is a perfect example in this regard- God completely took him away to be with Him (Genesis 5:24). God also commanded Abraham to get out of his father’s house and country for an exclusive encounter with Him (Genesis 12:1-3). Beloved, God has not changed His standard of separation for consecration today. More than ever before, He wants us to take a stand for Him in these perilous times, especially as the devil is on rampage to gather as many people as possible to be with him in hell. Speaking on his rage and the urgency of his mission, Revelation 12:12 says:

“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

If the devil had a short time when this verse was written, how much more now? We therefore need to be on our guard against his fury and wiles.

God is encountering you today to make up your mind not to compromise your Christian faith on any issue at all. One area of compromise is participating in the excesses of the children of this world: excesses of parties, clothing jewellery, leisure and so on. Due to extravagant living, a lot of chriatians have gone into debt in their bid to compete with treasury looters. Some Christians with access to the treasury have even joined the world in looting. What a shame! We must be on our watch so as not to be overtaken by the subtle advances of the devil, which can shipwreck our faith. This is why the Holy Spirt warns us in our memory verse to watch in the place of prayer. Beloved, are you really watching in prayer? You can only take a stand for God when your ears are open to what He is saying to you in the place of prayer concerning issues of your daily life. Our Lord told the disciples to watch and pray so that they might not enter into temptation, but instead of doing this, they fell asleep (Matthew 26:41). No wonder they could not take a stand for Him in His hour of tribulation (Matthew 26:55-75). Are you watching in the place of prayer today?

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to always take a stand for You in this pervese generation.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 13-16

Joel 3

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED.

1. O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment: Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.

4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me, my Savior and my Friend.

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MEMORISE:

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8

READ: Daniel 3:14-18

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Daniel 3:28-30

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

MESSAGE

It is natural for every human being to desire to attain a higher position, output or level of productivity in every sphere of endeavor. However, it is sad that not everyone is ready to pay the price needed to attain this higher level. Do you desire to go higher in your pursuits in life? Anyone who desires advancement in their career, ministry, business or academics must acknowledge that in God’s created order, you cannot expect an output where there is not input. In other words, there is a price to pay to obtain anything good in life. In today’s memory verse, we have a good example in Daniel who desired to make excellent stride in his pursuits. When he and his friends were enrolled in the University of Babylon, they immediately determined in their hearts that they would graduate with first class honors and distinctions, even though they were in a strange land. To Daniel and his colleagues, it was necessary for them to defer the delicacies and luxurious lifestyle of a minister-in-making. The result of their choice to make sacrifices in order to achieve their goals is clearly seen in Daniel 1:20, which says:

“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”

Our Bible reading further tells us about the price paid by three of Daniel’s colleagues before they were promoted to higher levels of their profession. The king they served had decreed that all his subjects must worship his graven image, but Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego declined to do so because they served a God who alone is worthy of worship. That decision was to cost them their lives, but rather than being bothered by this, they boasted of the saving power of their God, going further to tell the king that even if their God decided to take them home through the furnace, it would be better than bowing to a lifeless image made by men. The story ended with this great report in Daniel 3:30, saying:

“ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.”

God is looking for those who will take a stand for Him. Will He find you doing so in this world that pushes godliness to the background? Are you ready to stand on the principles of the Bible in a world controlled by the philosophy of men? The decision is yours to make. If people like Esther and the apostles of old could do it, you can do it too, and God will be glorified in your life.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please take me to a higher level in all my life’s pursuits in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 9-12
Joel 2:18-32

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: OH JESUS I HAVE PROMISED.

1. O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.

2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment: Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.

3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.

4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me, my Savior and my Friend.

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MEMORISE:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9

READ: Psalm 24:3-6

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Hebrews 3:7-12
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

MESSAGE

Although God created man with glory and grandeur, this glory left him after sin entered his life. Thereafter, man became a shadow of his former self, because not only did God’s glory depart from his life, he was also sent packing from the garden of glory that used to be his home (Genesis 3:22-24). In the midst of this calamity, God devised a plan to redeem the destiny of mankind by raising a glorious generation to Himself from amongst men. However, this generation could only come to be through the righteousness of God, because a glorious generation is that generation that fears the Lord and walks in His righteousness. Describing the qualities of this generation, Psalm 24:4 says:
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

In other words, the glorious generation is that generation of people who walk in purity of heart, the works of whose hands are clean. The words of whose lips are pure and the souls of whom and sold-out-to God. We therefore deceive ourselves if we call ourselves the glorious generation but our character calls into question the holiness of God we claim to represent.

Children of God in this generation must endeavor not to be like the Israelites who were liberated from bondage in Egypt with the destiny of a glorious generation but ended up grieving the heart of God. It is sobering to read God’s description of that generation in Hebrews 3:10, saying;

“Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”

Unfortunately, this generation that was supposed to enter into God’s rest in a land flowing with milk and honey ended up perishing in the wilderness. This should serve as a great lesson to us today. Today’s memory verse declares that God has destined us to be a glorious generation. Nevertheless, we have to live a life that reflects we are indeed a glorious generation, through purity of heart, our manner of speech, the integrity of our works and a soul that is soul-out to God in love. Even through we live in a perverse world, we can still stand out as God’s shining standard. Beloved, remember that gold is brought out of dirt, so choose to be among the glorious generation that worships God in spirit and in truth, even in the midst of this crooked generation.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me grace to represent Your glorious generation in all spheres of life in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 5-8
Joel 2:1-17

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

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MEMORISE:
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? Psalm 115:2

READ: Jeremiah 17:13-16
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.

16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.

MESSAGE

As a witness of the resurrection and saving power of Jesus Christ, I groan in the spirit whenever I see anyone who professes to be a child of God, like myself, suffering under the burden of sickness. I have zero tolerance for sickness in the lives of my children in the faith and fellow believers. This is why we frequently organized meetings where we stir up faith in the heart of believers to receive their healings. We do this for one singular reason expressed in today’s memory verse: we don’t want unbelievers to doubt what we say about our God. Divine healing is proof that He reigns in the affairs of men. Those who don’t believe in our God will believe when HE moves to heal diseases and sicknesses perceived to be incurable, like He did for the lame man at the temple’s gate (Acts 3:1-4:4). God healed him, and that singular miracle created a platform for Peter to preach God’s word, brining five thousand souls to the Lord. Pastors and preachers of God’s word must desire healing, not only for themselves but also for their ailing congregants, so that God’s word in their mouth will be established. This is why Jeremiah, a prophet of God, cried unto God for healing in today’s Bible reading.

Another reason why you and I must live in perfect health is found in Isaiah 53:5, which says:

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Our healing confirms that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and Savior of the whole world. Healing id part of the package delivered to us through His work of atonement. When we minister healing to the world in the Name of Jesus, we establish that the word of God we preach is the eternal truth that should be embraced. When people of other faiths are afflicted with seemingly incurable diseases and we tell them of the healing virtue in the Blood of atonement, the healing they receive after believing our message stands their faith in Christ on the firm foundation of God’s power. Such people will treasure their salvation and hold on to their faith to the very end. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5:

“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Let us begin to desire and ask God for the gifts of healing more than ever before, because when we manifest these gifts, our assignment of evangelizing the world will be much easier. Do you desire the gifts of healing? Ask God for it today.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, heal me and impart the gifts of healing to me today, to the glory of Your Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Job 1-4
Joel 1

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

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MEMORISE:
He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. Proverbs 29:1

READ: Exodus 14:5-13
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

MESSAGE

An adage from the Igbos in Eastern Nigeria says, “A stubborn fly follows the corpse into the grave.” This mirrors what the Holy Spirit is saying in today’s memory verse. Unfortunately, there are many people who behave like the proverbial stubborn fly; one example is Pharaoh in today’s Bible reading. After experiencing the power of God through the ten plagues, he still stubbornly decided to chase after the Israelites. Amazingly, he did not learn from the consequences of his stubborn attitude, which had cost him and all other Egyptians their firstborns (Exodus 12:29-30), he also witnessed an event that had never happened before- the parting of the Red Sea. This should have cautioned him against continuing on the path of destruction he was on. However, like the stubborn fly that followed the corpse into the grave, Pharaoh and his hosts went after the children of Israel and they got buried in the belly of the sea. Another sad example of the stubborn fly is Haman, who was after Mordecai’s life (Esther 3-4). Even after his wife and closest friends warned him against going after a man who carried the Abrahamic covenant, he did not listen to them, until he died on the same gallows he had prepared for Mordecai (Esther 6:10-13, Esther 7:8-10).

Beloved, you need to examine your relationship with God today to see if you are like the stubborn fly. Self-examination is a vital tool recommended by the Holy Spirit to prevent us from being buried with the dead corpse of sin and the world. He said in 2 Corinthians 13:5:

“ Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

Have you left your first love, like Demas, and still adamantly refusing to change in spite of the warnings of the Holy Spirit through His ministers and teachers of His word (2 Timothy 4:10)? The Lord is saying to you today in Revelation 2:5:

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

May the Lord give us hearing ears in Jesus’ Name.

ACTION POINT:
Examine yourself to see where you are becoming lukewarm; repent and ask for the fire of the Holy Spirit to rekindle the love of God in your heart in such areas.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 8-10
Hosea 13-14

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS.

1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.

o Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.

2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.

3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.

4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.

5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.

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MEMORISE:
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Matthew 25:13

READ: Matthew 25:1-13
1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

MESSAGE

The midnight cry in today’s Bible reading is a shout proclaiming the commencement of an important event, just like the announcement of the arrival of the bride and the groom at a wedding reception by the Master of Ceremonies (MC). At such a time, you will observe different kinds of people. There are those who will not hear what the MC announced at all because they are lost in their own world, either chatting with friends or fiddling with their phones. Some will be so busy running up and down to attend to other matters that they will totally ignore the MC’s announcement. Some other will actually hear the MC’s announcement but will stubbornly sit down instead of standing to honor the bride and the groom. These different reactions to the bride and groom’s arrival depict what will happen when our Lord returns as a groom to take His bride home. It is therefore important that we quickly examine our level of preparedness for this event and make necessary adjustments where necessary:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Thessalonians 4:16-17

From this scripture we understand that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, and according to today’s Bible reading, this event will occur at a time symbolized by the characteristics of midnight, when most people are fast asleep with little or no expectation of His return. Speaking of what will happen prior to His return, the Lord said in Matthew 25:5:

“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.”

I believe this is the reason why the coming of the Lord will be with a shout, in order to wake everyone up. I also perceive an ongoing revival that is gaining momentum, which will serve as a wake-up call for sensitive believers.

At the Lord’s coming, the Holy Spirit reveals to us that the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16). The question is, are you dead to the flesh, to sin and to worldliness? Paul testified that he was crucified with Christ; what about you? Are you crucified with Christ indeed, or are you conforming to the dictates of the world (Galatians 2:20; Galatians 5:24; Romans 12:2)? Only those who are dead to this world of sin will hear the midnight cry. Those who have died in Christ have a new type of life in Him. Only those who possess this life and remain faithful to the cross of Jesus Christ will be qualified to meet the Lord at His coming. May you be ready to meet the Lord when the midnight cry rings out in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, separate me from all distractions blocking my view of Your return, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 4-7
Hosea 12

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 17: HOLD THE FORTH.

1. Ho, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!
Reinforcements now appearing, victory is nigh.
o Refrain:
“Hold the fort, for I am coming,” Jesus signals still;
Wave the answer back to Heaven, “By Thy grace we will.”

2. See the mighty host advancing, Satan leading on;
Mighty ones around us falling, courage almost gone!

3. See the glorious banner waving! Hear the trumpet blow!
In our Leader’s Name we triumph over every foe.

4. Fierce and long the battle rages, but our help is near;
Onward comes our great Commander, cheer, my comrades, cheer!

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MEMORISE:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1:29

READ: Matthew 11:1-11
And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

MESSAGE

In our walk with God, we must never lose sight of the fact that we are mere mortals saved and empowered by grace. Those who arrogate the power and capabilities of God to themselves end up being disappointed when faced with the reality of their own limitations and inadequacies. Such people find it hard to forgive themselves when they make mistakes, and this is s dangerous place to be in. those who remain down after falling from grace are, more often than not, those who can’t forgive themselves for the errors they made. We must always remember that we need Jesus as our all in all. He Himself said that we can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). As we go through life, things will happen that might shake our faith, but what is important is that our faith remains unmoved, some of those who have gone ahead of us also had their faith shaken, but it is because they remained unmoved that we celebrate them as heroes of faith today. One of such persons was John the Baptist.

In today’s memory verse, John the Baptist confidently announced the arrival of the Lamb of God, the Messiah, who would take away the sins of humanity; this bringing and end to four hundred years of silence in the prophetic realm in Israel. He clearly knew who he was and what he was talking about. Many of those who heard his declarations about Jesus Christ believed him and followed Jesus, including some of his own disciples (John 1:35-42). However, in today’s Bible reading, we see a sobering turn of events in his life. This same John the Baptist was asking if Jesus was the Messiah! Prior to this, he had been cast into prison and faced the risk of being executed. While in prison, he heard of the mighty works Jesus was doing, which pointed to the fact that He was the long-awaited deliverer of Israel. He therefore expected that Jesus would use His Messianic authority to free him, more so as he was His forerunner. However, for reasons best known to Him, Jesus did not do this, His kingdom not being of this world (John 18:36). Discouraged and perplexed, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus whether He really was the Messiah, for Israel’s Savior would surely not have allowed him remain incarcerated for speaking the truth! John’s faith in Jesus was indeed badly shaken. Nevertheless, knowing what it is to be human, Jesus did not rebuke John; rather, He answered his question in a way John would understand as a prophet. This steadied his faith to the very end, even as he was beheaded. Is your faith in Christ being shaken? I pray that God will uphold you as you go through that trial of faith today, in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please uphold me with your right hand of righteousness, and let the trial of my faith produce praise, honor and glory in me at the appearing of my Lord.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Esther 1-3
Hosea 11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 8: MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4. When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold, sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

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MEMORISE:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

READ: Mark 4:35-41

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

MESSAGE

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth shows us that we can have peace amidst the storms of life. In today’s Bible reading, He demonstrated that He is indeed the Prince of Peace, as written of Him, in Isaiah 9:6. While traveling in a boat with His disciples, having just finished a long session of preaching and counseling for only God knows how many hours, there arose a great storm bellowing against the boat in which they were. The disciples were sore afraid that they would die at sea, because it seemed as if their boat would capsize. Meanwhile, Jesus Christ was fast asleep in the inner chamber of the boat. It is amazing that He could sleep even in the midst of a storm! The disciples woke Him up, accusing Him of being unmindful of their predicament. Jesus was surprised that His disciples could ever imagine that the boat carrying the Author of life would capsize! Howbeit, He arose and rebuked the wind behind the raging storm, and there was a great calm.

The series of events that occurred in the story shows us that the devil and his cohorts can launch an attack against us after a successful outreach programmes. Nevertheless, the good news is that God will always take charge and curtail such attacks. We also need to recognize from this story that the devil has no respect for the personality of the anointed. He can attack anybody, even when he knows that failure is inevitable, or how do we explain his attempt to capsize the boat of the one who created him? We must therefore be careful not to rest on our oars as we fight the good fight of faith. Nevertheless, in spite of the devil’s antics, we must not be afraid, because the Stiller of Storms is with us. You will be very wise to always have Jesus in the boat of your life, for He will always rise to any challenge you are confronted with when He is the captain of your life’s boat. A person’s true character is revealed when he or she is confronted with difficult situations. The raging storm revealed that the disciples did not really know Jesus as they ought to know Him. If they did, they would not have accused Him of not being concerned with their plight. As a matter of fact, their show of surprise at Him stilling the storm shows that they had little understanding of Him being God among men. In light of their example, we must never assume that we have fully known the Lord until we see Him in glory (1 Corinthians 13:12). We must continually desire and pray to know Him the more, just like Paul did all the days of his life (Philippians 3:10). The more of Him we know, the more of His peace we will have in our hearts. I pray that His peace will continually fill your heart, even in the midst of the storms of life, in Jesus’ Name.

KEY POINT:
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverb 17:22).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 12-13
Hosea 10

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name

Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness hides His lovely face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay
Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
Refrain

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MEMORISE:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

READ: Luke 2:9-14

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

MESSAGE

Today’s memory verse clearly shows that continuous sadness has no place in the kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, being melancholic all year-round is not a Christian virtue. There is a song w eused to sing in the past, and we need to remind ourselves of it today, it is a song in the Yoruba language, which being interpreted goes thus:
“My joy always abounds, My joy always abounds sorrow belongs to the camp of the devil; My joy always abounds”

The angels who announced the birth of our Lord brought joy from heaven to our sorrow-ridden earth. From the abundance of joy in heaven, they proclaimed joy to the world. Only those who are joyful can be comfortable in heaven; melancholic people will not fit in there. Our Lord wants us to be joyous irrespective of what the situation is around is around us, because our joy is not derived from what is happening in the world. For this reason, in John 16:22-24, He said to us:

“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

One lesson I would like to draw your attention to in this scripture is that Jesus Christ knows what heaven is like, and He wants us to have a taste of heaven here on earth. Unfortunately, some people specialize in making other people sad by their wicked acts, or through diabolical means such as witchcraft, sorcery and other forms of spiritual wickedness in high places. They must be pitied because ultimately, they can never know joy in this world, neither will there be a place for them in the kingdom of God.

If you currently living in sorrow, the Lord wants to bring you out of it before a broken spirit sends you to an early grave (proverbs 17:22). God wants your joy to be full, and that’s why He said you should Him in faith for whatever you need. The joy we possess as Christians comes from the joy of our salvation. We must guard this jealously and pray for its restoration whenever we err (psalm 51:12). We can learn to joyful by bringing joy to others. In other words, when you put smiles on the faces of people, you will also smile. Happiness is not far from those who make others happy, and joy symbolizes the presence of heaven in a place. Receive abundant joy today in Jesus’ Name!

KEY POINT:
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverb 17:22).

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 10-11
Hosea 9

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.

While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

Refrain

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Refrain

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MEMORISE:
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deuteronomy 32:30

READ: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

MESSAGE

There are certain blessings attached to marriage which we may be ignorant of except the Holy Spirit reveals them to us. One of such hidden blessings is revealed in today’s memory verse and Bible reading. From these scriptures, God’s verdict is that two are better than one, and according to Ecclesiastes 4:9, the reason is:
“……..because they have a good reward for their labour.”

This indicates that divorce is not the correct solution for marriages that are challenged, because divorce robs couples of maximum victory and rewards. Speaking further on the benefits of companionship derived from marriage, the Holy Spirit explains in Ecclesiastes 4:10:

“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”

Helping each other out in times of need is another great blessing of marriage. This was part of God’s design when He established marriage as an institution. When God was going to create a companion for Adam, He stated His reason for this, saying in Genesis 2:18:

“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

Man needed a companion in the form of a kind-minded person who could help him fulfil his God-given assignment. I’m left in awe whenever I consider the wife God blessed me with, long before I knew His plans to use me in reaching the world with the Gospel. Indeed, He knows the end from the beginning, and so He makes everything beautiful in His own time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). As a beneficiary of God’s blessing in marriage, I make bold to say that only a person who is blessed with a God-given spouse can cope with the hazardous challenges of being a minister of God.

Couples should do everything possible to stay together because God honors their unity by fighting their battles for them. However, this unity must be of a godly sort, and not like that which existed between Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Couples should key into power of the Lord’s promise in Matthew 18:19, which says:

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”

This is another valid reason why couples should fear God and not offend Him. He is the author of marriage, who created it for couples to receive maximum blessings from Him. Beloved, whatever it may cost you, keep your marriage intact, because there are great blessings attached to holy matrimony.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, give us the days of heaven on earth in our homes, in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Nehemiah 7-8
Hosea 7

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 16: GOD GIVE US CHRISTIAN HOMES.

1. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the Master’s will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty Your love has wrought;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

2. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

3. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in caring quest,
Strives to show others Your way is best,
Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

4. God give us Christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God give us Christian homes;
God give us Christian homes!

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